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Early life and education

Reyes was born in Coron, Palawan on 19 October 1952. He is the second child of Mario Palanca Reyes Sr. and Lualhati Tolentino. His siblings are Marilyn, Emma and Mario Jr. He is married to Clara Cruz Espiritu. Their children are Jacqueline, Mark Joel and Juan Miguel.

He graduated elementary from Claudio Sandoval Elementary School and secondary from St. Augustine Academy, both in Coron, Palawan. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from the Far Eastern University (FEU). He also tried pursuing law studies at FEU up until his third year.

Controversies

Graft and corruption charges were charged against Joel Reyes in 2008. The Calategas Irrigators Services Association (CISA) said Reyes and members of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), municipal council of Narra, the two House representatives and several others to the Office of the Ombudsman violated sections 3 (e) and (j) of Republic Act 3019 and section (e) of Republic Act 6713 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In the complaint affidavit filed by Teofilo Tredez and other farmers in Barangay Calategas, Narra, it was stated that the PCSD took for granted that the areas applied for by Patricia Louise Mining and Development Corporation (PLMDC), Narra Nickel Development Corporation (NNDMC) and Palawan Alpha South Resources Development Corporation (PASRDC) are within the “core zone” of the municipality that should not have any activity. Core zones refer to areas in Palawan which needs protection thus activities detrimental to their health such as mining are not allowed.

In October 2013, the Court of Appeals released a six-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Angelita Gacutan which clears fugitive and former Palawan Governor Reyes of murder charges for the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega in 2011.

De Lima authorized a re-investigation and a second panel was formed even before any of the parties filed a petition for review. The CA said that there was no need to create a second panel at the time since neither party was deprived of their constitutional rights during the preliminary investigation by the first panel. The supposed additional evidence presented by the Ortega family, which includes text messages and recordings of the victim's radio broadcasts, should be deemed “forgotten evidence” and not new evidence to warrant the re-opening of the case. CA added that “The prosecutory arm of the state cannot be allowed to conducting one investigation after another until the desired end is achieved, lest, it may be perceived as a persecution rather than a criminal investigation.”

However, the arrest orders against Joel Reyes and his brother Mario, still stand as the decision did not mention that the arrest warrants for the Reyes brothers would be quashed.

The Ortega family and the DOJ will elevate the case before the Supreme Court.